These little trays of thanks are simple, but they are sturdy and strong. They’ll last through this month of thanks and many more months, I’m sure.

We made our Thank You Trays with materials we had around the house: paint, glue, construction paper, stickers, and embellishments like gems, feathers, beads, and buttons.

And then we started working!

First we brainstormed. We shared the names of everyone in our lives for whom we were thankful: grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, neighbors, parents, siblings, and pets.

And then we narrowed down our people to three groups: our immediate family and both sets of grandparents.

We talked about all of the things we loved about them and what we were especially thankful for: their hugs, smiles, time spent together, and special things about each person.

And then we figured out what we wanted to put on the wooden tray and where we’d put it.

We painted.

We covered.

We glued, cut, and arranged.

And the small compartments of each of tray, acted as a little window to the person, sharing thanks.

When the pieces were finished, we let them dry and settle. We plan to give the grandparents theirs on Thanksgiving, and ours has found a spot on the shelf, where it will sit comfortably, reminding us of how lucky we are and how thankful we should be.

Wooden Thank You Trays are crafty and smart way to officially extend our thanks to loved ones.

Hang with Amy over at teachmama.com for more cool, super-sneaky ways to throw in some learning in the name of fun or join her at we teach–a forum for parents and teachers to connect, share ideas and grow–no matter the classroom. Or tweet with her (@teachmama), pin with her or chat with her on Facebook!

Perfect for traveling! We’ve partnered with our friends at Highlights for Children to bring some extra creative fun to your children this summer, with our FREE 10-page Boredom Busters printable activity book for kids! Check it out!